WHEN Harry Kane scored the third goal in Millwall’s 3-1 win at Turf Moor in February 2012, nobody could envisage how the next three years would pan out for both the Clarets and for Kane.

The youngster was in his first loan spell at Championship level, having played for Leyton Orient in League One the year before, and there was little to suggest that he was on his way to becoming one of the hottest strikers in England by the time he was 21.

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Michael Duff lined up for Burnley that day, and he admits he did not expect Kane’s meteoric ascent to England’s great new striking hope.

On the morning of November 2 last year, Kane was yet to start a Premier League game this season and yet to score a league goal. He was nine goals behind Diego Costa at that point, but when his deflected free-kick in the final minute of a game at Villa Park hit the back of the net, it sparked a remarkable run of form that shows no sign of ending.

He had been used in the Europa League and the League Cup until that point, but since finding the back of the net at Villa Park he has 19 league goals in 21 games, and is now tied with Costa at the top of the scoring charts.

His England debut saw him score after 79 seconds, and in his last league outing he scored a hat-trick against Leicester.

“He’s on a decent run at the minute, isn’t he?” jokes 37-year-old Duff.

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“Not a bad 12 months to be fair to him. Full credit to him, he’s been unbelievable. I don’t think it’s disrespectful to say that he’s come from nowhere but there weren’t a lot of people talking about him at the start of the season.

“He started scoring goals in the Europa League and got given his opportunity, and Friday encapsulated it really – he was on the pitch for two minutes and scored a goal.

“They’re not a bad team and they’ve spent a lot of money. I think the manager has got them playing the way he wants them to now, pressing high up the pitch like they were at Southampton.

“They’ve got more than one good player, but he’s definitely one to keep an eye on.”

Despite that goal three years ago, Duff didn’t think then he was playing against a future England regular.

“He was a young lad and you could see he was a decent player, but I don’t think anyone could see what has happened to him in the last 12 months,” he said.

“Full credit to him, he’s been top drawer. He runs in behind you, he can hold it up, he’s a good finisher, he’s a big lad, he can head it.”

Earlier this week Dyche revealed he tried to bring Kane to Turf Moor on loan in 2013. Despite missing out on the chance to work with him, Dyche has always been aware of the goal scoring talent White Hart Lane’s latest hero possesses.

“I remember speaking to Clive Allen about him and he felt he had goals in him as a young lad,” said the Clarets chief.

“He was one of the early ones who said to me, for all that he is not rapid, his movement is good, he’s energetic, and it seems to me that he is willing to keep arriving in the box.

“That sounds really simplistic, but often players work away from the box, he’s always around the key goal scoring area.”